The Diskless Workstation Administration Guide explains how to configure and maintain Silicon Graphics® software so that one or more networked workstations can operate without a local disk. It introduces the terms and concepts needed to understand a diskless implementation and explains how to plan an implementation. It also describes the procedures needed to install, maintain, and troubleshoot a diskless implementation.
Silicon Graphics' implementation of Diskless Workstation software should be used with these requirements in mind:
Diskless Workstation software must be used in conjunction with Silicon Graphics' Network File System (NFS™) software option.
To implement 5.1 or later versions of IRIX on diskless clients, the diskless server must be running IRIX Release 5.1 or later.
The Diskless tools that install IRIX 5.1 software cannot be used to install earlier versions of IRIX. See the Release Notes that accompanied this product for instructions on installing pre-IRIX 5.1 software.
The server and client systems must be on the same physical and logical network: the diskless client-server relationship cannot be implemented by means of a router.
The Diskless Workstation Administration Guide is organized into seven chapters and an appendix:
| Chapter 1, “Understanding Diskless Operation” |
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| Chapter 2, “Preparing for Installation” |
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| Chapter 3, “Creating a Share Tree” |
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| Chapter 4, “Creating Client Trees” |
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| Chapter 5, “Updating Software on Diskless Trees” |
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| Chapter 6, “Maintaining Diskless Implementations” |
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| Chapter 7, “Troubleshooting Diskless Installations” |
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| Appendix A, “Determining the Client Architecture” |
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The Diskless Workstation Administration Guide is written for system and network administrators who will be responsible for managing a Silicon Graphics server that supports one or more diskless workstation clients. It assumes that the audience has experience with basic system administration on an IRIX™ or other UNIX-based system.
Experience in maintaining IRIX filesystems and NFS, and in installing Silicon Graphics software are helpful, but not required, to install and maintain Diskless Workstation software. A familiarity with various families of Silicon Graphics workstations is also helpful, particularly for doing troubleshooting procedures. At some sites, familiarity with network administration will be required to prepare network software for the diskless implementation.
This document uses the standard UNIX® convention when referring to entries in IRIX documentation. The entry name is followed by a section number in parentheses. For example, cc(1) refers to the cc manual entry in Section 1 of the IRIX User's Reference Manual, Volume 1.
In-text descriptions, file and directory names, as well as commands, are shown in italics; and options appear in bold. Command syntax descriptions appear in typewriter font, with variable names in italics. User entries are shown in typewriter bold.
The documents listed below provide supplementary information on topics covered in the Diskless Workstation Administration Guide.
IRIS Software Installation Guide
IRIX Advanced Site and Server Administration Guide
NFS Administration Guide
NIS Administration Guide
The Owner's Guide for your client and server systems